The Friday after Thanksgiving is now commonly known as Black Friday, as it’s insinuated how the pre-Christmas shopping done on that day puts merchants “in the black”. I propose a different moniker for it: Red Friday. Here’s why:
1) A large number of Americans will surrender their meager savings, and many go into debt, in an orgy of fiscal incontinence, also called “Holiday shopping”. The average American adult will accrue an extra $1,000 in debt for holiday shopping, Americans will be “in the Red” for next year’s landfill fodder and yardsale flotsam.
2) Many of the products purchased by said Americans will be produced overseas, adding to our overall trade deficit. Last year’s trade deficit was $655 Billion (excluding petroleum), which is a tremendous drag on our own economy, and has been devastating to our own manufacturing base. Buying cheap has never cost so much.
3) Much of the above trade deficits will be the products made in Communist China. In 2005, the trade imbalance with China, alone, was $202 BILLION. They also happen to hold a sizeable amount of U.S. debt, which end up giving them a significant amount of leverage over us, especially in the arena of currency values and trade.
4) Oh, sure, the products are inexpensive. That’s because they’re made by people in squalid conditions, making a pittance. I believe that we found those conditions intolerable in our own country, so why do we turn a blind eye to it elsewhere, precisely when we’re generating the demand for it? And if earning squat was bad enough, these people don’t get to practice their religion freely, nor speak freely, nor have unfiltered information sources (Thanks for your help with that, Google). Many are killed by their oppressive governments.
So, when you go out shopping for holiday merchandise this year, be it on Red Friday, or any other day, look at your labels, and decide if it’s really worth the cost to you, your country, and the people who suffer to bring you these items.
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4 comments:
I try to make a conscience effort of avoiding the purchase of any foreign-made products. I'd prefer to support an American worker anyday.
The larger problem I feel are the companies and our government that would rather ignore the problem to inflate the economy or spread a margin.
We're feeding the arsenal of a soon-to-be superpower thanks to the low price leaders.
Red Friday is quite appropriate.
Excellent idea! Red Friday it is!
Red Friday indeed. I went shopping on Black Friday exactly ONCE. Now I try not to leave the house if I can help it.
Canada's big shopping day is Boxing Day (day after Christmas). I try not to leave the house that day either, though in the past few years Joe and I have gone to visit his parents for Boxing Day. As long as I don't have to drive by a mall...
Heh. Good work!
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